TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A regional judge in Wisconsin was charged on Thursday, May 15, 2025, with obstructing a federal investigation.
As reported by CBS News, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of helping an undocumented immigrant avoid capture by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a federal law enforcement operation inside her courthouse.
In April, Judge Dugan was arrested by the FBI. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, she "intentionally directed federal agents away" from an illegal immigrant who was scheduled to be arrested following his criminal court hearing.
Dugan now faces one count of harboring an individual to prevent arrest and one count of obstructing a federal investigation. A federal grand jury indicted her on Tuesday.
The immigrant in question, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, is currently being held in an immigration detention facility.
According to a sworn FBI statement, Flores-Ruiz was deported from the U.S. in 2013 but re-entered illegally. He was later charged with assault.
After matching his fingerprints from the 2013 deportation to a local criminal case in Milwaukee, ICE issued an arrest warrant and a deportation order.
When Flores-Ruiz appeared before Judge Dugan for trial, ICE agents waited outside the courtroom with an administrative warrant.
FBI agents stated that a woman was seen approaching the agents and taking photographs of them shortly before Flores-Ruiz arrived with his attorney.
A courtroom deputy later told agents that the same woman showed the photos to Judge Dugan while she was presiding from the bench.
"Witnesses uniformly reported that Judge Dugan was visibly upset and had a confrontational, angry demeanor," the FBI report stated.
She then reportedly approached the arrest team in a public hallway accompanied by another judge.
Witnesses said Dugan directed the agents to speak with the chief judge about their authority to make arrests in the courthouse and began scanning the hallway outside her courtroom.
An undercover agent, not recognized by Dugan, stayed behind in the hallway to await Flores-Ruiz.
According to the FBI, several witnesses saw Judge Dugan motion to Flores-Ruiz and say, "Wait, come with me," as he moved toward the courtroom exit where agents were stationed.
Dugan then reportedly escorted Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer out of the courtroom through the jury door, which leads to a restricted area of the courthouse. She allegedly instructed the lawyer to exit the same way.
FBI agents observed Flores-Ruiz wandering around the courthouse before fleeing on foot. He was eventually apprehended after a short chase.
Dugan’s attorney, Craig Mastantuono, told CBS News that "as she stated after her unnecessary arrest, Judge Dugan affirms her innocence and hopes to be exonerated in court."
On Wednesday, Mastantuono filed a motion to dismiss the charges, arguing that Dugan acted in her official judicial capacity and therefore has absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. He also claimed her arrest violated the Tenth Amendment.
Following her initial court appearance, Dugan was released from custody. She was suspended from her duties in late April by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Chief Judge Carl Ashley said her caseload will be handled by a reserve judge, if necessary.
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